Horny old broads, dirty old men. These commonly used terms speak volumes about how society views older people who are interested in sex. Experts say such derogatory labels reflect a deep level of discomfort in our youth-oriented culture with the idea Senior men sex seniors are sexually active.

Sex is identified with reproduction, youthful attractiveness, and power -- and most young and even middle-aged people do not want to confront the inevitability of growing old. So sexual intimacy among older Americans is a subject that people don't talk about much.

The silence, say experts, allows misconceptions to flourish -- including the widespread assumption that seniors lose interest in sex and are, or should be, asexual. But armed with a Senior men sex of studies that help dispel the myth that older people don't have sex or enjoy it, experts say the negative stereotypes couldn't be farther from the truth. While the frequency or ability to perform sexually will generally decline modestly as seniors experience the normal physiological changes that accompany aging, reports show that the majority of men and women between the ages of 50 and 80 are still enthusiastic about sex and Senior men sex.

Bortz, 70, author of three books on healthy aging as well as several studies on seniors' sexuality.

A Duke University study shows that some 20 percent of people over 65 have sex lives that are better than Senior men sex before, he adds. And although not everyone wants or needs an active sex life, many people continue to be sexual all their lives.

It's a matter of survival," says Dr.

Many men with diabetes do...

Married people live longer. The more intimate the connection, the more Senior men sex the effects. But older people may encounter an obstacle they hadn't expected: Such judgmental attitudes prevent many older people from moving in with each other or even having their partner over, according to Dr. Jack Parlow, a retired clinical psychologist in Toronto.

The topic may well lose some of its taboo status, however, as the baby boom generation enters its later years.

Does sex after 65 exist?...

With their increased numbers and a marked increase in life expectancy, older adults are now the fastest-growing segment of the US population. By the yearit is estimated that one in every five Americans Senior men sex be 65 or over. Louise Wellborn of Atlanta, Georgia, 73, believes deeply in the benefits of good sex -- at any age. That's what kept my husband alive for so long when he was sick.

We had excellent sex, and any kind, at any time of day we wanted. After grieving for several years over her husband's death from Alzheimer's inWellborn began a new relationship with a man in his 80s.

They occasionally have sex, but mostly they enjoy each other's company, she says. So we just have sex in a different way Senior men sex I don't mind at all -- and we're also very affectionate. He says it's so nice to wake up next to me.

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Her mastectomy two Senior men sex ago after contracting breast cancer hasn't changed her self-image as a sexual being, primarily because Wellborn has had a lifelong positive attitude towards sexuality. Her experience bolsters experts' contention that patterns of sexuality are set earlier in life. They also note that the biological changes associated with aging are less pronounced and sexuality is less affected if sexual activity is constant throughout life.

Wellborn and her husband were deeply in love, she says.

After the Senior men sex left home and her husband retired, the couple had more freedom to Senior men sex their sexuality. She says that she and her husband had sex three to four times a week when the children lived at home; once they were alone they made love almost every day. If you've had a good loving man and a good sexual life, you'll miss it terribly if you stop.

I've had everything from a cancer operation to shingles, and I'm still sexually active. Wellborn's openness about sex -- and the frequency with which she has enjoyed it -- may be somewhat unusual, but her perspective is not.

One advantage of growing older is that personal relationships can take on increased importance as children and careers take a backseat. Seniors can devote more time and energy to improving their love lives.

And while some seniors may be forced to give up strenuous sports, sex is a physical pleasure many older people readily enjoy. A clear majority of men and women age 45 and up say a satisfying sexual relationship is important to the quality of Senior men sex, according to a survey by the AARP the Senior men sex formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons.

Among to year-olds with sexual partners, some 56 percent said they had sexual intercourse once a week or more. Among to year-olds with partners, 46 percent of men and 38 percent of women have sex at least once a week, as did 34 percent of those 70 or older. The study found that nearly half of all Americans age 60 or over have sex at least once a month and that nearly Senior men sex also wanted to have sex more frequently.

Older couples can look forward...

As for making love, it just gets better with age, according to Cornelia Spindel, 75, who married her husband Gerald when she was They met when Gerry Spindel took his wife, who was dying of Alzheimer's, to a kosher nutrition program where Cornelia, a widow, worked as a volunteer.

The two gradually became close friends, and after his wife's death, became intimate. When Gerald proposed, she accepted with pleasure.

Now, Cornelia says, "We feel like young lovers or newlyweds. I felt like I was able to make love better when I was 30 than when I was 20, and now I have a whole lifetime of experience. Her year-old husband agrees, and dislikes the patronizing attitude many people display toward older people who are intimate.

Our love life is very warm. Senior men sex men and women can expect normal physiological changes as they age that may affect the way they experience Senior men sex.

Experts say these changes are not usually a barrier to enjoying a healthy sex life, but couples may have to take more time for arousal.

Postmenopausal women, for example, have lower levels of the hormone estrogen, which in turn decreases vaginal lubrication and elasticity. In many cases, dryness can be relieved by something as simple as using a water-based lubricant like KY Jelly.

Doctors can offer other remedies for more difficult cases. Men may suffer from impotence or have more difficulty achieving and sustaining erections as their blood circulation slows and testosterone levels decrease. Impotence is also more prevalent in men who have a history of heart disease, hypertension, or Senior men sex.

Now, however, sildenafil citrate Viagravardenafil Levitraand tadalafil Cialis have aided some older men who weren't helped by other treatments.

Some experts, in fact, worry that these drugs may cause an upsurge in AIDS in people over 50, because they are not likely to take precautions; they urge older people who are dating to practice safe sex. Some studies also suggest that the supplement ginkgo biloba, which increases circulation, can help treat impotence, but Senior men sex show no such effect.

Men should always check with their doctors before taking it. Among other things, ginkgo can interact with anticoagulants to cause a stroke.

Despite these hopeful prognoses, studies show that only a fraction of the seniors who could be treated for sexual problems actually seek medical help. That's too bad, Senior men sex say, because even serious medical conditions need not prevent elders from having a satisfying sex life.

Seniors should see a physician if they've lost interest in sex or are having sexual difficulties. Some sedatives, most antidepressants, excessive alcohol, and some prescription drugs have side effects that interfere with sex; a doctor can help adjust medication or set guidelines on alcohol intake. Illnesses, disabilities, and surgeries can also affect sexuality, but in general, even disease need not interfere with sexual expression.

The physical changes that occur with age can give older people a Senior men sex to revitalize their lovemaking by focusing more on intimacy and closeness instead of sex alone. Often less preoccupied with performance, they can express their affection and closeness in other ways, such as cuddling, kissing, and stroking. As he grows older, Rhoades says he doesn't feel the "compulsion" to have sex as much as he did when he was younger.

With a grown son still living at home, he says he makes love less often than he'd like but still enjoys it very much. Sex becomes more a matter of choice and is more interesting and intriguing for each partner," he says. But among older women who are widowed, divorced, or single, finding a partner can be difficult.

According to several reports, women make up the majority of the elderly without partners. Older women are Senior men sex judged Senior men sex society as less attractive than their male counterparts, a double standard that women's groups have long decried. This "partner gap" greatly inhibits women's social and sexual activity as they reach their senior years.

In the AARP study, only 32 percent of women 70 or older have partners, compared with 59 percent of men in the same age group. In the NCOA study, older men are more likely than older women to be married and have sex partners.

For men, "biology or hydraulics" is the biggest impediment to sex later in life, says Dr. Widowed after two year marriages, she finds herself single again.

Missing male companionship, she has gone out on blind dates and actively sought out partners through dating services and personal ads -- an exercise, she says, in "futility and frustration. Despite these challenges, Pickering, like many seniors, wants to have sex and intimacy in her life. Sexuality Senior men sex Midlife and Beyond: Middle and Old Age.

What's Age Got to do With It? The partner gap The physical changes that occur with age can give older people a chance to revitalize their lovemaking by focusing more on intimacy and closeness instead of sex alone. Related Stories Alzheimer's Disease: An Overview Preventing Alzheimer's Alzheimer's: One thing doesn't change, older men's—and women's—ability Senior men sex enjoy erotic pleasure.

But with age, sex changes. It becomes less like the Fourth of July, and. Many men with diabetes do not have sexual problems, but this is one of.

Some ideas include mall walking, senior centers, adult education. In many parts of the world, including the US, senior sexuality is still a taboo Only 38% of men and 22% of women report having discussed sex.